


Nine Point Eight Meters Per Second Squared

by satalderihannsu



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cute, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Galaxy Garrison, M/M, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Valentine's Day, good flying today, sheithvalentines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9709052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satalderihannsu/pseuds/satalderihannsu
Summary: A gift for @PRIINCE for the @sheithvalentines exchange on twitter and tumblr!  Prompt: "that moment before a kiss, or warm enveloping hugs filled with joy".  I hope I've brought you something pleasing!





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PRllNCE](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PRllNCE/gifts).



_It’s never the fall that gets you, so they say._

“Good flying today!” Shiro’s smile could burn away the heaviest clouds. Keith nodded, not sure what else to do with the vibrant sparks shooting off in his chest. The first six times, he was sure it was leftover adrenaline from getting to fly the largest ship he’d ever flown, then the fastest ship, the the largest _again_ , then the roughest course, then with a group of other students depending on him, then making an error that ended up all right, and finally… just flying. Rote, “normal” flying. And it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter how long Keith flew, how fast, how difficult the course, how inane the task… Every time that Shiro smiled and said those three words, the sparkling feeling went off in Keith’s chest. He had almost grown accustomed to it, though the very feeling was defined by a small shock. And though he’d determined the source of the sensation--that it came from Shiro’s easy smile and not, in fact, certain matters of chemical biology--he still had no way to deal with the feeling. So far, every time Shiro offered the same input, Keith could only respond with the same output. He nodded. Sometimes he managed a grunt that might be interpreted as thanks.

The next steps were normal as well. Shiro would turn to the rest of the class and offer similar comforts, praise or critique as needed. Except, Keith was starting to notice, never offered the same three critical words to everyone else.

Keith started keeping track.  Emil and Marge both got “Maybe not so fast at severe pitch?” Oberon received a “You’re not getting the best performance out of your craft, but not bad.” Hanna, Eric, Pavlos, and Zsofia all received slight variants on, “If you keep it up, you can really do some good out there.” Aishiko was told regularly, “You made it this time, but you can’t keep taking risks like this or I’ll have to recommend you transfer into cargo until you can show that you’re dependable.” That one was very quiet, and Keith had to listen very carefully to hear all of it. And none of the other statements were paired with the breathlessly bright grin that could end Keith’s tight focus.

Of course, Keith wasn’t stupid. He confirmed his suspicions about his classmates, and was very sure that he was receiving some special treatment. He knew that they had a strange history, but nonetheless… His chest being full of electricity wasn’t helpful. And he needed Shiro to cut it out.

He didn’t want to be sent over to cargo pilot, that was for damn sure.

He could hold it until the end of semester, which was soon.

It got harder. The sparkling feeling in his chest had started to happen _before_ Shiro even spoke sometimes. Then it spread out from his chest into his fingertips. He grew so antsy that eventually the grin hesitated before collapsing into a curious expression before Shiro moved on to the rest of the class.

But toward the end of the semester, the most incredible news came.

“I’m really sorry to do this to you, so close to the end of the semester and all, but I will have to turn over flight training to Professor Ahn. I’ve just found out that shortly after my own graduation, I’ll be headed up with the Kerberos Mission.”

Everyone immediately cheered, a kind of pride running through the class that _their_ Shiro was going to be one of an elite team on an incredible mission.

Keith didn’t cheer. His chest had a strange feeling again. And it wasn’t the simple sparks. And because of this, he finally knew the name for _both_ sensations.

At the end of class, he tried to catch Shiro, but it took some time. By the time he caught Shiro by the shoulder, night bled at the edges of the horizon and only a thin red line stood out against the pale black of sky. “Shiro….”

Shiro turned at the touch, and the smile burned brightly again. “Hey, Keith. What’s up?”

Why was this so awkward?

“So… you made it?”

Shiro’s smile became softer--no less full, but more contemplative. “I guess so. It’s not for a while yet. And you and I can still fly out in the desert, like we have been. We’ll take every moment we can, right?” The words tumbled out quickly, like Shiro’d been waiting to say a hundred more. “Hey, what about this weekend? To your shack, right? We’ll take the speeder, take the basin routes.”

Keith couldn’t help smiling all of a sudden. He put a hand over his mouth. Some part of him thought he might be cracking before he realized it was just a natural expression his mouth was capable of making. “Yeah, if you want. And then you’ll have to leave.”

The pang in his chest was back, crystallizing the divide in the two feeling: sparks, then shattering.

Shiro turned, his eyes wide and smile faltering. “Keith. Keith, no, hey.” He caught Keith’s hand in his own, and held on. Keith’s hand was hot in his own, but he held on tightly. “Keith, you know I’ll come back. We just have to enjoy every moment we have, right? And I’ll send all my goofy anti-grav videos to you.”

Keith had to laugh at that. “You’re going to promise that?”

Shiro nodded severely. “I can absolutely promise that. One hundred percent. You’ll watch them.” He spoke with a tone that implied Keith would be watching them regardless of desire to do so.

Keith laughed again, it breaking out of him. The shards in his chest seems to explode out, and sparkle in him. Keith held a hand over his heart as he pulled air in. Something was eased that he hadn’t realized needing easing. His body felt lighter… maybe like he was in anti-grav…. The thought sent him into another dizzying giggle (though he’d never admit the action).

Shiro leaned in, close into Keith space. “Hey… I’m serious, Keith. We should go out there this weekend. You and me. I’ll ‘forget’ my communicator, and you go off all the time without it.” He looked down to Keith’s chest, placed a hand over Keith’s on his heart. “We’ll go out there, and then I’ll meet you back there again when I get back, okay?”

Keith grinned brightly, his brow smooth again. He grinned and easily leaned into Shiro’s comfort sphere. “You’re going to spin out completely in zero G.”

“Technically it’s a fall.  I’ll fall in the video.  For you.” Shiro spoke carefully. The intention was completely present, held between them as much as their hands.

Keith felt the sparks in his chest again, brightly, filling him up. That feeling, like when you put the bike in free-fall straight to the planet’s surface.

“Careful you only fall in space. Cuz here it’ll be 9.8 meters per second squared,” Keith smirked up at him from under his bangs.

Shiro laughed. “Yeah, yeah, zero G videos only, I promise.”

Keith hugged in close. He squeezed tightly to Shiro, who simply held him, like nothing was strange about his friend hugging tightly. Keith breathed deeply, and considered the sparkling in his whole body. He spoke directly to Shiro’s heart, afraid to see those eyes directly: “Hey, Shiro? Is this what I think it is?”

Shiro stayed quiet a moment, then gave a huff of air that sounded more like a laugh. “You know what? I think it is. I think I already fell 9.8 meter per second squared.”

Keith did look up, and gave Shiro a short punch in the side. “You gonna come back just for me?” he demanded, a little more softly after the punch.

Shiro hugged Keith once more, but angled his jaw up to meet his eyes. “Yeah, Keith. I’m coming back for you. And peas. Peas are great.” He dodged another fist. “But also you. Definitely you, Keith. You’re… you’re the best thing for me.”

Keith felt the sparkling feeling almost breath inside him, coursing through his body wildly. He tried to find a name for it, and at last stumbled on one: joy. He stood up more firmly, holding both of Shiro’s hands now, and pulled him in for a small, chaste kiss.

Neither man was particularly shocked. It was more than time that they got around to it, really.

Night fell, and the night was so warm.

END

**Author's Note:**

> I suppose this is a bit bittersweet, as we all know what happens next... But as a point I'd like to note that he DOES come back for him. In a manner of speaking.
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](http://satalderihannsu.tumblr.com/).


End file.
